Damchu-Chukha road – a new road for Bhutan by India

July 24, 2018

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Photo Cred - kuenselonline

Dantak – which is part of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of India – has successfully completed project Damchu-Chukha – a 30 km road that connects Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu to a border town named Pheuntshogling.

Constructed at a cost of INR 287 crores – the project has taken bilateral relations between the two countries to a new high. “Let this road be a reminder to celebrate our friendship. Let’s showcase the world how beautiful the relationship between Bhutan and India is,” Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said after inaugurating the road.

Hard rock and difficult terrain posed challenges for the project. Approximately 2,500 meters of hard rock had to be removed while creating access for construction. However, the project is of economic significance to Bhutan as it reduces travel time by about an hour. About 5,000 vehicles (250 trucks) ply the highway daily, Tshering said. The Bhutanese economy would be able to save in millions. A truck would save eight litres of fuel in a day, while a light vehicle would save about 2.5 litres using the new road.

The Bhutan PM had visited India recently and the two nations resolved to take their exemplary friendship to new heights. The new road will reduce the journey time between Thimphu and Pheuntshogling by one hour and reduce the distance between the two by 19.5 kilometres of a steep drive. This road has been built through challenging terrains given the rough mountainous features in the area.

Under India assisted development projects in Bhutan, India has undertaken the funding of several development and infrastructure projects including key projects in the power sector.